1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new concentrated formulations based on N-phosphonomethylglycine or on compounds containing an N-phosphonomethylglycine group.
2. Description of the Prior Art
N-phosphonomethylglycine (sometimes known as glyphosate), as well as analogous compounds, their herbicidal properties and formulations containing them, are described, in particular, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,758. Although many water-soluble or water-insoluble glyphosate derivatives are known, it is very generally preferred, in fact, to use the water-soluble derivatives, and for this reason the salts of N-phosphonomethylglycine are the derivatives which have been generally developed or marketed, especially the isopropylammonium salt.
More recently, European Patent Application No. 290,416 describes an effort which has been made to develop concentrates based on N-phosphonomethylglycine salts, capable of containing N-phosphonomethylglycine in acid form but in any case containing this N-phosphonomethylglycine and/or its derivatives in soluble or solubilized forms, these concentrates being characterized by the presence of an alkoxylated amine of a particular type. This alkoxylated amine must have at most 12 alkoxy groups per molecule, and must have the character of a surfactant and must promote the herbicidal activity of the N-phosphonomethylglycine derivatives. It can be used in smaller amounts than the known surfactants of the previously known formulations of N-phosphonomethylglycine, at least as regards the production of concentrates intended for outdoor application, in the form of dilute slurries, on the basis of 100 to 600 l/ha.